The 2009 BoatUS Santa Maria Cup A LA MODE Pro-Am Fleet Race is scheduled to begin at 4 PM today in the Severn River off the Eastport Yacht Club Marina. The ten SMC womens match racing teams will be challenged by teams from over a dozen local businesses/organizations with some well-known national and international sailors at the helm. This should be a great tune-up for these top women sailors from around the world. At 9 AM today the conditions were challenging beyond the river with rough water and winds at 24 with higher gusts. Hopefully things will settle a bit before the 4 PM start. The race course has been set to maximize shoreside viewing from EYC and along the Eastport shore of the Severn River.